In a major blow to duck farmers in Upper Kuttanad, authorities have confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in more areas of Thiruvalla.
According to District Collector Divya S. Iyer, the presence H5N1 virus, a subtype of influenza A virus, was confirmed in the Marygiri and Muthoor wards of Thiruvalla municipality in the tests conducted at the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal.
An emergency meeting convened by the Collector here on Wednesday declared the areas within 1-km radius of these locations as virus-affected. Preventive measures, including culling of birds, will be done as per the revised guidelines of Central government issued in 2021.
A blanket ban on the movement of poultry, including ducks, chicken, quail and other domestic birds, has been declared in the 10-km radius of the affected areas. Authorities have been tasked with monitoring the situation in 11 local bodies of Upper Kuttanad which surround the affected areas.
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